on. My tank was on empty, and I wasn’t sure there
was a filling station anywhere in sight.
It was just a few weeks later that my husband had
the assignment in Jerusalem to which I have referred,
and the Brethren traveling on the assignment
requested that I accompany him. “Come on,” he
said. “You can recuperate in the Savior’s land of living
water and bread of life.” As weary as I was, I packed
my bags, believing—or, at the very least, hoping—
that the time there would be a healing respite.
On a pristinely clear and beautifully bright day, I sat
overlooking the Sea of Galilee and reread the tenth
chapter of Luke. But instead of the words on the
page, I thought I saw with my mind and heard with
my heart these words: “[Pat, Pat, Pat], thou art careful
and troubled about many things.” Then the power
of pure and personal revelation seized me as I read,
“But one thing [only one thing] is [truly] needful.”
(Vs. 40–41.)
The May sun in Israel is so bright you feel as if you
are sitting on top of the world. I had just visited the
spot in Bethoron where the sun stood still for Joshua
(see Josh. 10:12), and indeed, on that day, it seemed
so for me as well. As I sat pondering my problems
I felt that same sun’s healing rays like warm liquid
pouring into my heart—relaxing, calming, and
comforting my troubled soul.
Our loving Father in Heaven seemed to be whispering
to me, “You don’t have to worry over so many things.
The one thing that is needful—the onlything that
is truly needful—is to keep your eyes toward the
sun—my Son.” Suddenly I had true peace. I knew
that my life had always been in his hands—from
the very beginning! The sea lying peacefully before
my eyes had been tempest-tossed and dangerous—
many, many times. All I needed to do was to renew
my faith, and get a firm grasp on his hand—and
togetherwe could walk on the water.
I would like to pose a question for each of us to
ponder. How do we as women make that quantum
leap from being troubled and worried to being
women of even greater faith? One frame of mind
surely seems to negate the other. Faith and fear
cannot long coexist. Consider some of the things
that trouble us.
I have served as a Relief Society president in four
different wards. Two of these wards were for single
women, and two were wards with many young
mothers. As I sat in counsel with my single sisters,
my heart often ached as they described to me their
feelings of loneliness and disappointment. They felt
that their lives had no meaning or purpose in a
church that rightly puts so much emphasis on
marriage and family life. Most painful of all was the
occasional suggestion that their singleness was their
own fault—or worse yet, a selfish desire. They were
anxiously seeking for peace and purpose—something
of real value to which they could dedicate their lives.
Yet it seemed to me that the young mothers had
easily as many concerns. They described to me the
struggles of trying to raise children in an increasingly
difficult world, of never having enough time or
means or freedom to feel like a person of value
because they were always stretched to the ragged edge
of survival. And there were so few tangible evidences
that what they were doing was really going to be
successful. There was no one to give them a raise in
pay; and beyond their husbands (who may or may
not remember to do it), no one to compliment them
on a job well done. And they were always tired! The
one thing I remember so vividly with these young
mothers was that they were alwaysso tired.
Then there were those women who, through no fault
of their own, found themselves the sole provider for
their homes financially, spiritually, emotionally, and
in every other way. I could not even comprehend
the challenges they faced. Obviously, in some ways,
theirs was the most demanding circumstance of all.
The perspective I have gained over these many years
of listening to the worries of women is that no one
woman or group of women—single, married,
divorced, widowed, homemakers, or professionals—
have cornered the market on concerns. There seem
to be plenty of challenges to go around. But, I
hasten to add, there are marvelous blessings as well.
Every one of us has privileges and blessings, and
every one of us has fears and trials. It seems bold to
say, but common sense suggests that never before
in the history of the world have women, including
LDS women, been faced with greater complexity in
their concerns.
I am very appreciative of the added awareness that
the women’s movement has given to a gospel
principle we have had since Mother Eve and
before—that of agency, the right to choose.
But one of the most unfortunate side effects we
have faced in this matter of agency is that, because
of the increasing diversity of life-styles for womenWOMEN’S DIVINEROLES ANDRESPONSIBILITIES 367